Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City and one-time attorney for ex-President Donald Trump, has conceded to making false statements in a recent court filing. He admitted to spreading misinformation about two Georgia election workers and their handling of ballots during the 2020 election. These statements were at the center of a defamation lawsuit filed against Giuliani by Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, in a federal court in Washington, D.C.
In the court documents, Giuliani chose not to challenge the factual allegations, although he did not fully confess to the plaintiffs’ claims. He acknowledged that his previous statements were defamatory and false, which could have negatively impacted Freeman and Moss’s reputation. However, Giuliani maintained that he believed he had strong legal defenses to counter the lawsuit and aimed to avoid unnecessary litigation expenses.
Giuliani’s attorney has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter. In the meantime, Ted Goodman, a Giuliani adviser, stated that the recent filings were strategically made to move the case past the discovery phase and proceed to legal arguments.
On the other side of the legal battle, Michael J. Gottlieb, the attorney representing Moss and Freeman, saw Giuliani’s concession as a significant development in their pursuit of justice. He reaffirmed that the women had diligently fulfilled their civic duties in strict compliance with the law during the 2020 presidential election. Moreover, Gottlieb emphasized that the allegations of election fraud made against them by Giuliani and former President Trump had been baseless from the beginning. While certain aspects of the case remain pending a court decision, the plaintiffs eagerly anticipate presenting the remaining evidence during the trial.
Giuliani had previously promoted a video purportedly showing Freeman and Moss mishandling ballots while working at the State Farm Arena for the Fulton County Board of Elections during the 2020 election. Following Trump’s election defeat, he had also accused the women of being involved in changing the election’s outcome.
In a related matter, ex-President Trump is currently facing a criminal investigation in Fulton County, Georgia, concerning his and his allies’ efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. The investigation was triggered by a leaked phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, during which Trump mentioned Freeman 18 times and persistently pushed for the election results to be overturned.
As a result of the false accusations and conspiracy theories spread by Trump and his allies, Moss and Freeman have endured serious consequences. Both women have received racist death threats, compelling them to go into hiding. Moss, who had been a dedicated employee at the Fulton County Elections Department since 2017, had no choice but to resign from her position due to the distressing threats.
Among the false claims made by Giuliani was his assertion that Moss handed her mother a thumb drive “like they were vials of heroin or cocaine.” In reality, Moss testified before Congress that her mother had simply given her a ginger mint.
As the legal proceedings continue, Moss and Freeman remain hopeful that the trial will provide them with the opportunity to seek justice and vindicate their names from the harmful and untrue allegations that have impacted their lives.